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Back to the Paleocene


Bjohn170

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I got back out to the Potomac river yesterday to search along the Paleocene exposures for some more prehistoric treasures. I got to the beach around 8am and had a couple hours till low tide, the water was calm and clear enough to where I could easily see out in the deeper water.

Pretty soon after beginning my hike I found a really nice 1.23” crocodile tooth rolling around right on the shore line.

 

52138C50-C01B-43EF-B552-C933ACAE0DB8.thumb.jpeg.a3bb9cc3a98bcda489ff264e22f2b0be.jpeg3F1237A4-E09F-4194-9684-992AFC59E325.thumb.jpeg.7038234e0f8e7fa337ff3257a5e5e5b9.jpeg

 

It slowed down for a little while after that only find a couple busted Otodus teeth and a nice sand tiger here and there.

Once I got around the bend to my favorite stretch of this beach, where I’ve found most of my better Paleocene finds, things began to pick back up a bit. I found a nice tiny crocodile tooth tumbling in the wash, then only a few steps later I see a beautiful 1.48” Otodus partially buried in the sand!

 

B53E7595-FB15-471F-A416-818E988565AC.thumb.jpeg.2008be6c1c3769cff629c19f8502f206.jpeg

 

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Before reaching the end of the beach I also found a large ray plate fragment and nice shark vertebra!

The walk back was slow with the waves not churning up much as I’m walking back in my footsteps, I already a nice haul for the day so it didn’t bother me. It was another great day along the river, thanks for reading.

 

BB727842-9771-4B0B-82E7-52D8910900EC.thumb.jpeg.3371f0a5a79ae2899ea89b69e82ebe21.jpeg

 

Bonus picture from another Paleocene trip a couple weeks ago, the water was murky and high and I didn’t find enough for a full report but I did get a nice ray plate, Otodus and a heartbreaker!

 

72B4AD99-CC47-4AFE-B44A-93B43FB5B77D.thumb.jpeg.75eb488d6326f68b5dab559784c8bf43.jpeg

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14 hours ago, Bjohn170 said:

I got back out to the Potomac river yesterday to search along the Paleocene exposures for some more prehistoric treasures. I got to the beach around 8am and had a couple hours till low tide, the water was calm and clear enough to where I could easily see out in the deeper water.

Pretty soon after beginning my hike I found a really nice 1.23” crocodile tooth rolling around right on the shore line.52138C50-C01B-43EF-B552-C933ACAE0DB8.thumb.jpeg.a3bb9cc3a98bcda489ff264e22f2b0be.jpeg3F1237A4-E09F-4194-9684-992AFC59E325.thumb.jpeg.7038234e0f8e7fa337ff3257a5e5e5b9.jpeg It slowed down for a little while after that only find a couple busted Otodus teeth and a nice sand tiger here and there.

Once I got around the bend to my favorite stretch of this beach, where I’ve found most of my better Paleocene finds, things began to pick back up a bit. I found a nice tiny crocodile tooth tumbling in the wash, then only a few steps later I see a beautiful 1.48” Otodus partially buried in the sand!B53E7595-FB15-471F-A416-818E988565AC.thumb.jpeg.2008be6c1c3769cff629c19f8502f206.jpeg8044A760-8097-4851-BC77-001E13FA63C8.thumb.jpeg.d76999ee8c6a880c9cd422a7fce666df.jpeg Before reaching the end of the beach I also found a large ray plate fragment and nice shark vertebra!

The walk back was slow with the waves not churning up much as I’m walking back in my footsteps, I already a nice haul for the day so it didn’t bother me. It was another great day along the river, thanks for reading.BB727842-9771-4B0B-82E7-52D8910900EC.thumb.jpeg.3371f0a5a79ae2899ea89b69e82ebe21.jpeg Bonus picture from another Paleocene trip a couple weeks ago, the water was murky and high and I didn’t find enough for a full report but I did get a nice ray plate, Otodus and a heartbreaker!72B4AD99-CC47-4AFE-B44A-93B43FB5B77D.thumb.jpeg.75eb488d6326f68b5dab559784c8bf43.jpeg

I miss stomping around the Potomac.

 

nice finds. Great ray plate!

 

I think the croc is Eosuchus sp.

Edited by hemipristis
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'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'

George Santayana

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18 hours ago, hemipristis said:

I miss stomping around the Potomac.

 

nice finds. Great ray plate!

 

I think the croc is Eosuchus sp.

Thank you! From what I know there are at least 3 genera of salt water crocodile: Eosuchus, Thoracosaurus, and Hyposaurus, and that it is difficult to ID them based off isolated teeth. What leads you the believe it’s Eosuchus?

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19 hours ago, Bjohn170 said:

Thank you! From what I know there are at least 3 genera of salt water crocodile: Eosuchus, Thoracosaurus, and Hyposaurus, and that it is difficult to ID them based off isolated teeth. What leads you the believe it’s Eosuchus?

 

Just that It is the species I read most often from that locale.  I have a few teeth from that area that folks have told me are Eosuchus, though crocs are hardly my forte, so I'm not in a position to argue or confirm, tbh

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'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.'

George Santayana

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  • 3 weeks later...

Great finds!:)

Thank you for sharing those with us.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The croc tooth is very nice, but the ray plates are spectacular.

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Bulldozers and dirt Bulldozers and dirt
behind the trailer, my desert
Them red clay piles are heaven on earth
I get my rocks off, bulldozers and dirt

Patterson Hood; Drive-By Truckers

 

image.png.0c956e87cee523facebb6947cb34e842.png May 2016  MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160.png.b42a25e3438348310ba19ce6852f50c1.png May 2012 IPFOTM5.png.fb4f2a268e315c58c5980ed865b39e1f.png.1721b8912c45105152ac70b0ae8303c3.png.2b6263683ee32421d97e7fa481bd418a.pngAug 2013, May 2016, Apr 2020 VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png.af5065d0585e85f4accd8b291bf0cc2e.png.72a83362710033c9bdc8510be7454b66.png.9171036128e7f95de57b6a0f03c491da.png Oct 2022

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3 hours ago, sixgill pete said:

The croc tooth is very nice, but the ray plates are spectacular.

I agree. While I love finding a good condition croc tooth, finding good, mostly complete ray plates really get me excited!

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